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160 Ballads and Songs of Michigan
57 THE DARK-EYED SAILOR
This is the English song "Fair Phoebe and Her Dark-Eyed Sailor," also often called "The Broken Ring," which has been common in American songbooks and broadsides. For a text and references see Cox, pp. 319-320. See also Bulletin, VI, 8-9; Greenleaf and Mansfield, p. 81; Mackenzie, p. 172; Ord, pp. 323"324"» and Scarborough, pp. 267-270. Michigan A is very similar to the text in Ord. The words of version A are from the manuscript of Mrs. Peter Miller, West Branch. |
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Tis of a comely young lady fair Was walking out to take the air; She met a sailor on the way, So I paid attention, I paid attention, To hear what they did say.
He said, "My maid, why roam alone?
The night is coming and the day far gone."
She said, while tears from her eyes did fall,
" 'Tis my dark-eyed sailor, 'tis my dark-eyed sailor,
That appeased my downfall.
" 'Tis two long years since he left this land; A gold ring he took from off my hand. He broke the token, here is half with me, And the other is rolling, and the other is rolling, At the bottom of the sea." |
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Cries William, "Drive him from off your mind,
As true a sailor as him you'll find.
True aside and cold don't grow,
Like a winter's morning, like a winter's morning,
When the hills are cold with snow."
"A terror, sailor, I'll ne'er disdain,
But always I will treat the same.
To drink his health here is a piece of coin,
But my dark-eyed sailor, but my dark-eyed sailor
Still claims this heart of mine. |
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